NICK GREEN on SOCCER: Galaxy is rolling in the deep in MLS

It would be easy to conclude on the basis of the impressive Galaxy road victory over Real Salt Lake, once one of the preeminent teams in MLS, that the club's productive youth Academy was the key to the 2-0 victory.Easy, but overly simplistic.After all, the Galaxy were without injured stars Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane, Carlo Cudicini and Todd Dunivant, the type of designated players and veteran defensive stalwarts who are at the heart of the defending MLS champion's twin title wins the last two seasons.

Without them, in came former UCLA goalkeeper Brian Rowe, who promptly recorded a shutout in his MLS debut.

Top draft pick Charlie Rugg, 22, scored on his MLS debut while partnering 18-year-old Jack McBean of Newport Beach up top and rookie Greg Cochran got a second start at left back.

But it was well-established players who provided the necessary leadership and cohesion, including Mike Magee who set the tone with his MLS-leading sixth goal in the sixth minute.

"They did a great job," Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said after the game Saturday. "There's seven veterans on the field, so it's not like we just had a bunch of kids. The group of (A.J.) DeLaGarza, (Omar) Gonzalez, (Marcelo) Sarvas, Juninho, Magee and (Sean) Franklin were giving our young players confidence and helping us get the result. "

With every passing week it's becoming apparent, just in case it wasn't before, that the Galaxy's depth is unsurpassed in MLS.Real Salt Lake, for example, were without forwards Alvaro Saborio and Robbie Findley, both late scratches, but were unable to compensate.MLS teams that were once among the Galaxy's elite peers are stumbling - inconsistent RSL is 3-4-2, Seattle even worse with one win in six attempts, for instance.

But the 4-1-2 Galaxy motor on with a blend of youth, experience and big names that has opponents unsure how to adjust, as RSL coach Jason Kreis observed. "It wasn't just Donovan and Keane, there were five players that started tonight with the Galaxy that aren't typically in their strongest 11," he said. "When I got their lineup I was nervous to even write it up on the board. ... I feel that our guys have a tendency over the past to let down when they are playing a team that they think is even weaker than they are and tonight they got shown that team isn't weaker than we are. Their 11 was better than our 11. "

Force is with Galaxy

The South Bay Force, long among the top youth clubs in Southern California, who have produced three players on the Galaxy roster - Gyasi Zardes, Jose Villarreal and Oscar Sorto, - have now forged even deeper ties with the MLS team.Force Technical Director Todd Saldana announced Sunday the club has become the Galaxy's exclusive youth soccer club in the region. "We are dropping the 'South Bay Force' and becoming LA Galaxy South Bay," wrote the former UCLA coach and longtime Torrance resident in an email to players and supporters. "The Galaxy has provided us with a new logo and our new uniform kit is designed around their colors. "This is a first for the Galaxy and we are honored they choose us as their partner," he added. "We are now one of the very few youth soccer clubs in the nation that has a direct affiliation with an MLS club. "

Etc.

The Galaxy selected six teenagers Sunday to join the 15-player field for the national final next month in Carson of Sueno MLS, the competition that gave Chivas USA's Jorge Villafana a pro contract: goalkeeper Heriberto Becerra, 17, of Fontana; and midfielders Erick Bermudez, 17, of South Gate; Daniel Crisostomo, 16, of Chino; Josue Soto, 17, of Perris; Joshua Varon, 16, of Bakersfield; and Edgar Villalpando of Wilmington.